Gervonta Davis reportedly calls out WBA bantamweight champ Bam Rodriguez

Gervonta Davis’ camp has dropped proof the 135lb superstar called out WBA bantamweight king Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez. Trainer Robert Garcia revealed Davis’ direct approach to Rodriguez’ team, pushing for a fight despite the 16lb weight gap between the two men.

Robert Garcia, speaking to BoxingScene, said Davis reached out to Rodriguez’ team with a clear message: “I wanna fight you next.” Garcia added the request was made privately and backed by documented proof. Davis’ last outing ended in a controversial split draw against Lamont Roach in March 2025, his first fight in over a year.

The call-out lands as Rodriguez holds the WBA bantamweight strap after a sixth-round knockout of Antonio Vargas last month. Rodriguez has already ruled at flyweight and super flyweight, while Davis has campaigned at lightweight and super lightweight. The weight difference is stark: Davis weighed 133.8lbs in his last camp, Rodriguez tipped 117.6lbs in his most recent weigh-in.

For Davis, the move is classic bait-and-switch. He’s spent weeks floating other names-Devin Haney at a 144lb catchweight and rising star Floyd Schofield among them-while quietly tagging Rodriguez. Garcia laughed off the mismatch in scale, but the call-out keeps Davis’ name in the headlines as he eyes a late-2025 return.

The playbook is familiar: plant the seed, let the noise build, then pivot to a more palatable opponent. Rodriguez, meanwhile, has his own ambitions. His team still clamors for pound-for-pound king Naoya Inoue, the undisputed super bantamweight champ after a 12-round win over Junto Nakatani in Japan’s biggest boxing event ever.

Garcia’s claim doesn’t guarantee a fight. Rodriguez’ promoter Eddie Hearn has Inoue as the priority target, and the weight gap makes a Davis tilt a hard sell. Still, Davis’ team now has a paper trail they can wave at promoters if they want to force the issue.

Davis’ next steps hinge on securing a marquee name-Haney, Schofield, or someone else-to justify a return. Rodriguez, undefeated and fresh off a title defense, has leverage to pick his own dance partners. The standoff sets up a potential showdown of narratives: Davis chasing legacy against Rodriguez protecting his belt.

And the clock is ticking. Davis hasn’t fought since March 2025. Rodriguez last defended in June 2025. The longer the standstill drags, the louder the calls for both men to put up or shut up.